Description
This is my delicious recipe for baklava. I have been asked by several of my Turkish friends to share the recipe and I have been told that cinnamon adds a nice touch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ pounds chopped almonds
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, melted
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen phyllo pastry, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan over medium heat
- combine 2 cups sugar
- water
- honey
- cinnamon stick
- lemon and vanilla. Bring to a boil
- then simmer for 15 minutes
- skimming any foam that is formed. Set side.
- In a small bowl
- combine chopped almonds
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ground cinnamon and cloves; set aside. Brush butter on bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Each sheet of phyllo dough is twice as big as the pan
- so cut each in half
- making 2 sheets. Place a sheet of phyllo on bottom of pan
- and brush with melted butter. Repeat process for a total of 8 sheets
- buttering each. Sprinkle about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of nut mixture evenly over the phyllo
- and cover with 4 more sheets
- buttering each. Continue sprinkling nuts after every 4 sheets of phyllo
- until all but 8 sheets (4 full sheets) are used.
- Use remaining 8 sheets for the top layer
- buttering each sheet of phyllo. Before buttering the last sheet
- tuck in any loose edges. Press down layers with palms of your hands. Pour remaining butter over the top. With a large knife
- cut 5 strips lengthwise about 1/2 inch deep
- then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes.
- Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes
- or until golden brown. Remove from oven
- and immediately pour syrup over baklava. Allow to cool thoroughly. Cut diamonds to go all the way through
- and serve.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 24